Hero
by Seiji and Shizuku 4ever
Summary: Ever think that maybe Sakura's feelings for Sasuke stemmed from a certain event? Maybe even something as trivial as saving her from the school bullies? "Who did this to you?" /SasuSaku oneshot, belated birthday gift for RainingxFire/


**A/N: Alrighty, this is my second SasuSaku fic... though without the assistance of my coauthor like on the first. xDD I think this one should be more in my comfort zone, though... this one takes place when they're kids. Idk why, but I feel really comfortable writing about the children stages. Perhaps because I am one at heart. x]**

**Anywhoozle, this is a fanfic gift to the best friend in the whole world, RainingxFire. I met her through the Internet about three years ago and have been blessed with the most faithful, amazing friend I could've ever asked for since then. She is irreplaceable and just a jewel to my life. She deserves SOOO much more than this measly little POC (piece o'crap xDDD), but I had to do something. Her birthday was two months ago. D: I'm such a horrible friend, aren't I? T^T**

**Anyway, this probably takes place when the kids are around.. oh, I'd say maybe nine or so, or at least soon after Ino met Sakura and gave her that ribbon and befriended her, back when Sakura is still really shy and isolated. The very ending scene takes place in the timeskip between Naruto and Shippuden. This is gonna fail horribly. xD But I'm not really doing it for anyone's approval. I'm doing this out of appreciation for a friend. ^_^ So say what you will. Only her opinion matters to me on this matter. =3 So please don't say this is so unoriginal and copying off of Naruto and Hinata's situation. -_- CAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. IT JUST IS. xD This is just for fun and mainly AU, anyway.**

**Nowww. I'mma have someone special do the disclaimer. x] DEIDARA, GET YUR BUTT OUT HURR.**

**Deidara: .. I better be getting paid for this, 'un. -_\ This girl doesn't own the beautiful work of art that is Naruto. Hm. **

**.. Couldn't you have done a little better than that? =.=**

**Deidara: x) If it's a show you want, it's a show you'll get. ART IS AN EXPLOSION!**

**o_o Cue story! Now!**

* * *

><p>Up until now she'd been silent, but now she was close to tears, ready to burst.<p>

"Leave me alone!"

The three older boys who'd been giving Haruno Sakura a hard time stopped briefly at the sound of her highpitched, frantic voice, exchanging smirking glances as she cowered, glaring fearfully through her tears. "Give it back.. please!"

One of the boys leaned in with a sneer, "You mean this?" He dangled her red ribbon back and forth in front of her face, but now Sakura knew better than to reach for it, instinctively touching the bad bruise already forming on her arm, the punishment they'd inflicted upon her for trying to grab the bow back. She was sniffling now, trembling as her tears escaped.

"What a baby. Why are you even in Ninja Academy if you can't handle a little roughhousing?" the second boy flicked her forehead, hard. "Pathetic wuss."

Sakura pressed her lips tightly together, heart thudding so loud she was afraid the boys could hear it. She shrank a little, gaze lowering to the ground in shame, wishing she could just run away, wishing she could go back to playing with her friends, wishing that the other kids would stop playing long enough to notice what a predicament she was in, wishing Ino hadn't left her alone to use the bathroom, wishing that Iruka-sensei would happen to look out the window and come to confront the boys. But it seemed like the universe hated her at the moment. The odds certainly weren't in her favor. She was too timid to stand up for herself.

"You think that bow helps make your big fat forehead look better?" one of the boys laughed, making her tear up, flicking her head again. "Look, it's just wide enough for my fist to fit." Sakura flinched, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing herself, just in case the boy decided to try out this new revelation. But it seemed like her luck finally started to turn, because then the bell rang and recess was over.

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, muscles still coiled tense, to see the boys scowling at her. "We're not done with you yet, stupid girl," the boy snapped, stuffing her ribbon into his pocket. "I'll just be keeping this."

Sakura gasped. Ino would be so mad if she lost it! Maybe she wouldn't even wanna be her friend anymore! "No - wait..-"

They all turned, the threatening glares on their faces making her back up instinctively. "_What _did you just say?" one demanded sharply.

Sakura swallowed hard, her vision blurrying. "N-Nothing. I'm sorry."

"You didn't learn your lesson? Good-for-nothing, stupid girl!" One stepped forward, and Sakura whimpered, gaze darting around frantically. Was nobody seeing this?

"Everyone, it's time to come in. Come on!" Iruka's voice called, and Sakura nearly collapsed in relief at the sound of her saving grace.

The boys growled threats before turning around and trotting toward the entrance. Sakura slunk a ways behind, head down low. When she felt someone brush her arm as she walked back into class, she jumped away, head snapping up and eyes widening. But all she saw was a frowning Ino.

"What's up with you? Hey, what happened to your hair?" Ino's blue eyes were suspicious, then rounded a little as she leaned in, studying her. "Have you been _crying?_"

"N-No! I fell. It's nothing," Sakura answered in a small voice, looking away. She missed Ino's sharp frown, obviously not believing her.

"Well, ok. But where's the ribbon I gave you?"

"I..I lost it. I'm sorry." Sakura kept her head down as she slipped into her seat, fighting against the burning of her eyes, signaling more imminent tears. How had such a happy day turned to the worst one of her life?

Ino sighed. "I've never even seen you lose your pencil." But she dropped it, thankfully.

But what Sakura also missed was young Sasuke glancing over, his face shadowy as always, but his dark eyes lingered on the pink-haired girl a split second longer than usual.

* * *

><p>Sakura dreaded going outside again. But when school dismissed for the day, she had to. She trailed a little bit after Ino, glancing around her furtively every few seconds just to make sure the boys weren't in pursuit of her once more.<p>

"Who did this to you?"

Jumping at the new voice, Sakura did an aboutface in fear to see a boy with dark hair and matching eyes. Her emerald eyes widened as she recognized the boy as Uchiha Sasuke. He was the quiet boy with no friends.. the loner. Kinda like she'd been before she'd met Ino.

Sasuke's voice was impatient as he asked a second time, "Who did this to you?" It was less asking and more demanding this time. He pointed to the bruises on her arm, sharp eyes locked on her slightly busted lip.

Sakura didn't know what to think. Why was Sasuke, the smart boy who never talked, talking to _her? _Was he gonna beat her up too? She swallowed. "Nobody. I fell."

Sasuke stepped closer, face hard and unrevealing of any emotions he might be feeling as he pointed to one of the bruises, the one lining her wrist. "That's in the shape of someone grabbing you. You didn't fall."

Sakura blinked in surprise. Wow, he _was _smart. Something akin to admiration filled her as she stared at him. It was almost like Sasuke was worried about her. It..made her feel special.

Sasuke scowled. "I'm not gonna ask again. Who did that to you?"

"What if it was me?" a familiar, leering voice said from behind, and Sakura whimpered, flinching as she recognized it as the leader of the trio who'd beat her up. She stiffened, but Sasuke turned at the new voice, big onyx eyes narrowing. "What could a shrimp like you do to me?"

"I'm not a shrimp." Sasuke's voice was calm but cold. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha, and I'm gonna be an avenger."

"Ooh," the boy snickered. "I'm so scared. Nice try, kid." He ruffled Sasuke's spiky ebony hair before turning to Sakura, taking out her red bow with a flourish. "Missing this?" he smirked. Sakura remained frozen, unsure of what to do or say, wide-eyed.

Sasuke took a protective stance in front of her. "Give that to me."

The boy laughed as if the encounter amused him. "Yeah? Why should I?"

"That's not yours. Give it back to her now, or I'll take it." Sasuke's voice was threatening, and Sakura stared at him, her eyes shimmering. She was surprised the boy wasn't doing as he said immediately. Sasuke sounded so... intimidating. So in charge. He didn' t sound scared at all. She was so impressed.

The boy narrowed his eyes. "No little wimp's gonna boss _me _around. You don't know who you're dealing with, kid. I think I need to put you in your place." He reeled back his fist, but before he could do anything at all, Sasuke grabbed his wrist and yanked it back, snapping it. Sakura gasped out loud, eyes wide as saucers. _How did he do that?_

While the boy howled in shocked pain, Sasuke kicked him in the shin and snatched the ribbon from him. "Don't mess with her ever again," he threatened. "Or I'll tell all your friends you got your butt kicked by a little kid." In the end the boy could only stare at them in disbelief before running off. "His bark is worse than his bite. Go," Sasuke told a stunned Sakura and pushed her out of the schoolyard. "He won't mess with you anymore." He'd make sure of it. He gave her the red ribbon, holding it out.

Sakura took it, still speechless, marveling at his bravery. "W..Why.." she started to ask why he'd helped her, but swallowed the question, her manners coming first. "Thank you." She stared at him, then briefly gave him a tight hug before running off, clutching the bow in her hand.

As Sakura rounded the corner she waved to him, a huge smile blooming across her features before she disappeared out of sight. Only then did little Sasuke allow a small smile.

* * *

><p>Whenever Sakura came home from training with Tsunade, she would reflect back on all her times with Squad 7 as she stared at their framed group picture. But the memory of the first time she'd officially met Sasuke, the one event that had kindled her affections for him, the basis of a lifelong obsession of the wayward Uchiha, she thought about that one the most.<p>

The event a lifetime ago of Sasuke retrieving her bow for her, something so trivial and yet life-altering, and the incident in the Chunin Exams, the Forest of Death, when Sasuke had entered the first stage of the Cursed Seal of Heaven and broke the arms of the guy who'd roughed her up... those two memories came hand-in-hand, the ones that _always _came to mind whenever she stared at Sasuke's scowling face in the Team Kakashi group photo.

Because, they gave Sakura hope that if Sasuke had a sense of justice back then... he could still have it now.

She'd never lose hope.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Personally? I think it sucked. Majorly. xDDD Period. But I hope at least you readers enjoyed it, or that it wasn't a complete waste of your time. Most of all Krysten's. Please lemme know what you think of your bday gift, bestie! You deserve SO much more, but alas, this is all I can conjure up at the moment. Love you, and stay awesome! *gives cherry tomato* ^_^ I would appreciate feedback, meanwhile all ye reviewers. Thank you! I need to know that this story doesn't suck as much in your eyes as it does in mine.**


End file.
